The leading communications company in the world of data networks is Cisco, manufacturer of network devices such as routers, switches, hardware firewalls, etc. Their products are known for being high quality, robust and easy to configure.
In addition to being a network device manufacturer, Cisco also offers its own training on its devices that has a great reputation within the world of IT professionals, through the Cisco Academy.
Cisco Academy offers a series of internationally recognized certificates that have become the standard within the world of network communications and are in great demand within the IT industry.
What are Cisco certifications
The Cisco certifications are awarded certification company Cisco and declare the possession of a specific knowledge and skills in their network devices and network management data. They are obtained by passing a custom exam or exams for each of the different areas that Cisco proposes.
Among the Certifications in the field of Networking, the CISCO certifications have the most reputation, facilitating their holders access to jobs anywhere in the world
Cisco certificates are valid for 3 years, after which they must be renewed. This renewal can be done, either by examining that certificate again, or by obtaining a higher certificate that keeps the lower one in force (for example, the CCNA certificate, associate, with three years of validity, can be renewed by making the higher CCNP, professional, Thus, the CCNP would be obtained for 3 years and the CCNA will be renewed for another 3).
What are the Cisco certifications available
Cisco certifications have five levels that allow specialization in different technologies and solutions, through seven different routes : routing and switching, design, security, service provider, storage networks, wireless and voice.
There are a wide variety of Cisco certifications, focusing on each of the existing network areas and technologies, some of these certifications at different levels are:
Entry level certifications
CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Level Technician), this is the basic Cisco certification that allows a professional to diagnose, restore, repair and replace Cisco network devices.
Associate level certifications
CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), is a certification aimed at people who work with computers within the network. Among Cisco certifications, CNAs are low level. We can find among these certifications:
- CCNA Cloud, a program focused on the role of work and that allows professionals to advance and validate their skill set in the cloud to meet the changing demands of technology.
- CCNA Routing and Switching is a certification on network and Internet infrastructures. It is aimed at professionals who operate networking equipment.
- DevNet Associate certification - New certification for DevOps engineers, automation specialists, etc.
Professional level certifications
CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional) and CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional), provide advanced knowledge in the design of LAN, WAN, large networks and dial-up networks, both routed and switched. This certification is intended for IT professionals who design complex LAN and WAN networks. Within the Cisco certifications, the Professional is within the intermediate level.
Expert level certifications
These CCIE ( Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert ) certifications are the most prestigious certifications within the network sector and certify knowledge in complex network technologies, planning and designing operations between them. Among the Cisco certifications, that of expert is within the high level.
Within these certifications we find:
- CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure - Focused on skills with complex infrastructure solutions for enterprise networks.
- CCIE Enterprise Wireless - Focused on complex enterprise Wi-Fi networking skills.
- CCIE Data Center: focused on skills with complex solutions for data centers.
- CCIE Security: focused on skills with network security solutions.
- CCIE Service Provider - Focused on infrastructure service skills.
- CCIE Collaboration - focused on collaboration services skills.
None of these certifications have any prerequisites, but it is recommended that those taking each certification exam have more than 5 years of experience in the appropriate subject.
Architect level certifications
It is the top accreditation within the Cisco accreditations. They are intended for those professionals who handle complex network developments at an international level. It is essential to have an expert level accreditation to be able to access the architect accreditation.
How to get Cisco certifications
To obtain Cisco certifications, you must pass one or more specific exams on the certification you want to obtain. The ideal way to successfully pass these certification exams is to prepare for them by taking online and / or face-to-face courses at authorized centers or at the Cisco Networking Academy, for each specific certification. It is also necessary to spend hours studying and solving practical problems, as well as taking similar exams, since they are very demanding exams.
The advantage of preparing the courses at Learning Partners is that Cisco provides them with the “official training” for each of the certifications, making it easier to focus on the important subjects to pass the exam.
Therefore, to obtain a Cisco certification, you must follow the following steps:
- Know what certification you want to obtain among those that Cisco offers.
- Prepare for the certification exam, taking online and / or face-to-face courses at authorized Partners or enrolling in the Cisco Networking Academy.
- Take the exam in one of the companies certified for it.
- Get a pass on the exam.
To find a nearby center where you can take the certification exam, you can go to the web https://home.pearsonvue.com/cisco and click on the option, Find a Test Center in the right menu of the page. On this same website you can obtain all kinds of information about the exams and certification such as: types of exams, exam calendar, update of certificates, preparatory tests, etc.
CCNA certifications are made through a certification company called Pearson VUE, where it is necessary to pass a single exam.
CCNP certifications are carried out through the certifying companies Pearson VUE and Prometric, where it is necessary to pass two exams (an exam on the requested architecture and a specific exam on a technology in the requested area) to obtain the certification.
The CCIE certifications require, in addition to passing an exam, a practical test, where the configuration and troubleshooting in a real network is carried out.
For IT professionals, Cisco certifications mean gaining knowledge of Cisco devices and network configuration, design, and management. The prestige of these certifications makes them one of the most demanded requirements by companies.
Although the exams are demanding and require intense and specific preparation, the advantages of obtaining the certificate justify the effort to be made. To get an idea of the requirement to obtain this certification, we can see that the percentage of people who pass the certification in the first attempt does not exceed 20%.
